A Wisconsin judge has ordered the state Department of Natural Resources to schedule a wolf hunting season this month rather than waiting until fall.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service removed gray wolves from the endangered species list on Jan. 4, returning management authority to the lower 48 states and tribes. A 2012 state law requires the DNR to allow wolf trapping and hunting from November through February if wolves are not listed as endangered.
The DNR’s policy board voted 4-3 last month against opening the season in February amid concerns that the department had not consulted tribal nations as required by treaties and did not have time to set quotas.
The leader of a Kansas-based hunting rights organization sued the DNR, saying the law is unambiguous and that the agency violated hunters’ constitutional rights by denying them the opportunity to kill wolves right away.
Online court records show Jefferson County Circuit Judge Bennett Brantmeier ordered the DNR to “implement and follow their duty to hold the Gray Wolf hunting season in February 2021” during a hearing Thursday.
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Brantmeier denied the DNR’s request for a stay pending appeal, citing a low likelihood of success.
DNR spokeswoman Sarah Hoye said the Department of Justice is reviewing the decision and the agency will be taking steps to implement the court’s order.
Luke Hilgemann, president of Hunter Nation Inc., called the ruling “a historic victory for the Wisconsin hunter.”
“Today’s ruling solidifies the rule of law and finally provides clear direction to the Evers administration to move full speed ahead with our statutorily required wolf hunt,” Hilgemann said. “Any attempts by the Evers administration to overturn this ruling are a direct assault to the constitutional rights of Wisconsin hunters.”
The wolf hunt has been a contentious issue for years. Those who favor hunting say the animals kill livestock and pets and terrorize rural residents, while wildlife supporters say the creatures are too beautiful to kill, and Native American tribes consider them sacred.
Dozens of people testified on both sides at the Natural Resources Board’s meeting, and the board received more than 1,400 written comments on the proposed hunt.
Wisconsin last held a wolf hunt in 2014, but the law allows people to shoot wolves if there is an immediate threat to human safety or if wolves are attacking domestic animals on private land.
The DNR estimates Wisconsin is home to at least 1,034 wolves in 256 packs, primarily across the northern third of the state and the Central Forest region, up from 815 in 2012.
The agency reported 152 animals — including livestock and hunting dogs — were killed or injured last year by wolves and has paid out $1.8 million over the past decade in wolf depredation payments.
PHOTOS: WISCONSIN WILDLIFE ON TRAIL CAMS
Photos: see bears, bucks, and fighting foxes caught on Wisconsin trail cams
A wild turkey tom displays his feathers for a hen in Adams County. Male turkeys strut to attract females and to establish dominance over subordinate males. On adult males, like the one pictured, the tail forms a full, unbroken contour when fanned out. On juvenile males, the middle 4-6 tail feathers are longer than the outer feathers, so the tail appears uneven when fanned out.
A long-tailed weasel, one of three weasel species in Wisconsin, dashes through the snow in Ashland County in a trail cam photo from the Snapshot Wisconsin collection.
A porcupine photographed in Bayfield County. Volunteers say the lumbering gait is a key characteristic to identifying porcupines -- that, and the sharp quills.
A pair of Clark County bear cubs wrestle near the end of their first summer. Black bear cubs weigh a pound or less when they're born during the winter but grow quickly after emerging from the den.
A muskrat captured in Dane County.
Primary growth forest, where the herbaceous layer stays relatively low to the ground, makes for great opportunities to capture wildlife, such as this fisher photographed near a Door County brook.
A pack of coyote cubs prowl through the woods of Iowa County.
Moose are an uncommon sight in Wisconsin, but the number of moose observations in the Snapshot Wisconsin database more than doubled in 2020, with at least four photographed in September and October across Iron, Price, and Burnett Counties.
Trail cams sometimes capture more than one species in a frame, though rarely a predator. This Juneau County shot captured two -- as a black bear and coyote cross paths.
Predator and prey come together in this La Crosse County image of a barred owl carrying off a fresh catch.
Introduced to Wisconsin in the late 1800s, the ring-necked pheasant can be distinguished from other upland game birds by its long, pointed tail. This Lafayette County pheasant makes a rare appearance after snowfall.
Not only does this Marquette County image show an uninhibited moment between two red foxes; it also showcases the distinct pelage of this iconic Wisconsin species.
A Virginia opossum carries her young on her back in this Milwuakee County image. North America's only marsupial, Opossums carry their young in a pouch until they are old enough to cling to their mother's back.
The color of wolves' coats can vary widely. Black (melanistic) wolves, are less common than those sporting the traditional grizzled coat, so staff and volunteers enjoy coming across photos like this one. The unusual eye color of this Oneida County wolf is especially noteworthy.
A deer, rabbit and skunk cross paths in this Pepin County photo. Only about 0.2% of Snapshot Wisconsin photos contain multiple species.
Greater prairie chickens lekking in Portage County. Snapshot Wisconsin teamed up with wildlife management to use trail cameras to monitor leks, such as this one, where male birds display to attract females.
A Racine County mink captured in a rare still moment. Mink are often captured at night or in motion, making it difficult to distinguish their features.
Perhaps less recognized than their relatives the hairy and downy woodpeckers, red-bellied woodpeckers are nonetheless relatively common and widespread across the state. This action shot from Richland County showcases the red caps and beautiful checkered plumage.
Wisconsin's mascot is typically seen at night, but this Sauk County badger photo shows off its fantastic markings in the daylight.
A bull elk in Sawyer County. Snapshot Wisconsin has been used to help monitor elk herds reintroduced to the state.
A bobcat caught on a trail camera in Trempealeau County. In addition to being smaller than cougars, bobcats are recognizable for their short -- or "bobbed" -- tails.
The American marten is extremely rare in Wisconsin. In more than 50 million photos, this 2019 shot from Vilas County is the only one to capture one -- or at least part of one.
This white buck was captured by a Snapshot Wisconsin camera in Waukesha County. Wisconsin law forbids hunting white deer.
This male cougar, likely from the Dakotas, photographed in Waupaca County, is one of only two captured by a network of 2,100 volunteer trail cams in the Department of Natural Resource's Snapshot Wisconsin project.
Hilgemann
Chris Hubbuch | Wisconsin State Journal
Covers energy and the environment for the Wisconsin State Journal. Rhymes with Lubbock. Contact him at 608-252-6146.
